A/N: I'm posting this in two parts, simply because I realized when I posted it all together, that it's really confusing to read this while both sides are mixed as it gets pretty complicated at parts. So, here's Maddox and Minori's side of it. I'll post Aoi and Timor's part next, which picks up right after the astrics.

Anyways.

Welcome to Fearland! This role-play was based off of a One Piece Interaction club scenerio, which we wanted to finish. Hope you enjoy! We left it in script format because it was waaaaaay too long to bother with typing up. 

Minori: *rather helplessly as they enter the park, as he's not accustomed to dealing with Aoi without Kiyomi or Irie as a go-between* It doesn't sound like a horrible time...

Aoi: *sourly* Being forced to go on rides where we'll be exposed to our worst fears while having to be partnered with someone else doesn't sound like a horrible time?

Minori: *sheepishly backs down, shoving a hand through his hair and looking about for whomever else might be accompanying them as he's rather certain that dealing with Aoi is just going to be more trouble than it's worth without someone else to handle him* Right... sorry...

Aoi: *snorts and rolls his eyes* Don't apologize, dammit.

Minori: *reflexively* Sorry.

Aoi: *just rolls his eyes again*

Maddox: *unabashedly clinging to the tail of Timor's vest as they cross into the theme park, studying the park with wide eyes, as it's unlike anything he's ever seen* T-This... is this what the park looks like on Sabaody?

Timor: *tilts his head, recalling the energetic theme park on the island and mentally comparing the two as he too looks around* Livelier there.

Maddox: Ah, I suppose so, we seem to be the only ones here... *trails off, having spotted Aoi and Minori in the distance* Aoi-san? Minori-san? *blinks*

Aoi: *having been about to snap something else at Minori, glances around at the sound of their names*

Minori: *ventures as he spots the other two* They're over there... *gestures*

Aoi: *instantly starts towards them, grabbing ahold of Minori's arm to drag him along in the manner that he would usually pull Kiyomi along*

Minori: ... *just goes with it* Hello, Maddox-san, Timor-san...

Timor: *dips his head to Minori, then cocks it to the side, taking note of Aoi* *blinks at him, as though asking "Why the rush?"*

Maddox: *musters a weak smile, curling his fingers deeper into the fabric of Timor's vest even as he raises the other hand in a stinted wave* It's nice to see familiar faces in a place as... *shivers* dreary as this. Oh, have you been told the reason we're here? Our author was vague about the subject...

Aoi: *releases Minori's arm and hooks a thumb in his direction, as if that should answer all questions about why he's in such a hurry*

Minori: *when released, simply rubs his arm with his other hand, focusing on Maddox's words* *nods his head as he responds* Ours told us. *pauses, considering how to explain* We're supposed to go on rides with partners. *gestures plainly towards them as he pulls his hand away from his arm* Apparently we'll be dealing with our fears as we do. *pauses, then adds, his expression saying that he's slightly relieved by this rule* And ours told us that we weren't allowed to partner up with each other.

Aoi: *roll his eyes in the manner of one asking why he would want to partner up with Minori, as he's well aware that Minori is scared of a /lot/ of things*

Maddox: *has begun to noticeably tremble at this point* *timidly tips back his head, a wavering frown on his lips* T-Timor-san... *reluctantly begins uncurling his hand*

Timor: *places a hand atop Maddox's head, once again ignoring the fact that the smaller man is in fact his senior* Stick with Minori. Don't be reckless.

Maddox: *bobs his head, squeezing his hands into fists in a vain attempt to hide their quivering* I... I can do that. You, as well, Timor-san, don't... don't... *doesn't really know how to put it into words, but he's seen Timor play the unsung hero enough times that he doesn't want Timor putting himself in unnecessary danger*

Aoi: *glances slightly at Minori, realizing that he probably should tell the guy not to get himself killed either* ... *sighs* What Timor said. *that said, turns his attention to Timor, gesturing past them at the rides* Shall we go?

Minori: *hesitant, but offers Maddox a polite smile* I'm sure he'll be fine, Maddox-san. They're both strong people.

Maddox: *reluctantly nods, releasing his hold on Timor and stepping forward to stand at Minori's side* *in a soft voice, a wary smile on his lips* I know. Timor-san and Aoi-san are incredible. But I still worry.

Timor: *seeing that Maddox has joined up with Minori just fine, nods to Aoi and gestures to the park, indicating he should pick their first destination, as he doesn't have any preferences himself*

***

Minori: *his polite, pretty-boy smile unfaltering* That makes sense- it's normal to worry about your friends. *turns and eyes the rides thoughtfully* Do you know what you'd like to go on first?

Maddox: *smiles sheepishly* Truth be told, I've never been to a theme park. I wouldn't know where to start. But... *biting his lip, raises a hand, pointing towards the swings* Those don't look too terrible, do they?

Minori: *studies them, then nods his agreement as he's rather pleased with the idea, figuring it'd most likely be hard to incorporate his fears into something like that* They don't- they actually look rather fun to be honest. *starts towards them*

Maddox: *scampers after Minori, wanting to keep the distance between them to a minimum* *fights the urge to latch onto Minori's clothes as he'd done with Timor, knowing the assassin only tolerated him because of his connection to Raya*

Minori: *glances back at Maddox, comfortably shoving his hands in his pockets as his mind flicks through possible things that can happen to them while this is going on, pausing in his thoughts as he realizes that he can only take his own fears into account at this point* I suppose we should warn each other what we're afraid of... *musing aloud, eyes flicking to the swings* I can't see my fears being involved in this... is there anything you can think of?

Maddox: *shakes his head slowly, mentally running through his rather extensive list of fears* ...My biggest fear is death, but... I'm not sure where that would come into play with this... *clasps his hands together, peeking around Minori to see the swing structure ahead of them* ...I'm not bothered by heights, at least...

Minori: *his pretty-boy smile returning as he looks from Maddox to the swings as they near the ropes that would typically organize a line, ducking under one of them to enter the empty path* Neither am I. As for death... I think we're safe from that for now. *thoughtfully* I can't imagine we'd be allow to die so early in our time here at the park. *his smile turning reassuring* So, there's that.

Maddox: *chuckles lightly, choosing to trace the indicated path through the ropes as opposed to ducking under them* *hurries to catch up to Minori, a light dusting of pink to his cheeks from the slight exertion* True, our authors aren't that cruel... Still... *his smile fades a bit* Dying isn't fun, Minori-san...

Minori: *smile fades, a hand pulling from his pocket to rub the back of his neck* No... I'd imagine not... *agrees evenly, his mind pulling up memories on their own accord as he quickens his pace slightly to reach the swings* *falling silent as they're seated*

Maddox: *opens his mouth to apologize, as he sees he's brought up something rather unpleasant, but only shuts it a moment later, turning his head away from Minori* *kicks his feet a little, sending his swing back and forth, as he waits for the ride to begin*

Minori: *shoving his thoughts away, focuses on Maddox with a curious gaze, having never actually been on a swing before himself* *experimentally copies the action, a smile flitting across his face at the result* ... I suppose we should just make the best out of this. *decisively, as he's already decided that there 'ought to be some fun to be had of the bad about to happen* This really does look like fun... *kicking his feet absently as he does, watching the person in charge of the ride start it up*

Maddox: *starts, having not expected their conversation to be revived, but eventually smiles, nodding his agreement* *about to say something, cuts off in quite the manly squeal as his swing starts to rise* *clutches for dear life at the chains of his swing* *while he's not afraid of heights, he really didn't expect the ride to become like this*

Minori: *squeaks himself when it starts, grasping onto the chains and staring about at what's going on with obvious surprise- seeing as he hadn't had an idea at all of what to expect himself* *sort of grins a second later, though, as after he gets over his initial shock he's rather excited over the ride*

Maddox: *squeezing his eyes shut tightly for fear that the wind whipping past his face will force tears down his cheeks* *in a trembling voice made only more pathetic by the wind* M-Minori-san, w-what should we expect? Our fears...

Minori: *distracted from the ride by Maddox's voice, focusing on the words as he attempts to connect in his mind how it could possibly apply, as, as far as he's aware all they have between them is the fear of death for Maddox, and for herself, a fear of blood and violence in general, then the exposure of her secret and the people of her past, in her head none of it lining up* ... I'm not sure. *admits, calling back*

Maddox: *tightens his grip on the chains, lowering his head to reduce the stinging he feels from the wind tearing at his cheeks* O-Okay, we'll just have to wait and see, I guess...

Minori: I guess so... *nods his agreement even if Maddox wouldn't see it, focusing on the ride once more as he sort of grins despite himself, loving the feeling of being propelled through the air and resisting the urge to shut his eyes, as he's aware he should probably keep himself as alert as possible given the problem with fears and all*

Maddox: *beginning to loosen up, the feeling of practically flying somewhat appealing to him, turns his head to face Minori, a hesitant smile lighting up his eyes* Minori-san, maybe this ride is-- *aaaand that's when the chain snaps, sending Maddox swinging out of control and scrabbling to get a decent hold on the remaining chain while he screams with high-pitched intensity*

Minori: *instantly freaking out, his hands tightening around the chains as he stares at the scene in shock* M-Maddox-san.... *mind racing for a solution, seeing as he obviously can't just leave the guy like that, anything could happen with just one chain* *panicking mind pulling up solution after another, and discarding them just as easily, his panic not helping at all*

Maddox: *kinda just hysterically screaming, eyes shut tight, arms and legs locked in a death grip around the remaining chain*

Minori: *yeah, just completely helplessly staring at this, his fingers fumbling with the strap of the chair, but not really able to do anything about it* M-Maddox-san, hold on, I'm... *trails off, not really sure what he's saying he's going to do, just sort of freaking out/panicking and saying whatever comes to mind*

Maddox: *his throat raw from his constant screaming, quiets down a bit, though that's mostly due to the fact that his breathing's turned ragged and s- hallow* *tears stream down his cheeks, dried almost instantly by the wind* *glances upwards, lips trembling, peering through a haze of tears at Minori* M-M-Minori-san, I.... *chokes slightly, falling into a coughing fit* *stiffens as he feels the chain groan and jerk slightly* A-Ah... I... I can't...

Minori: *fingers scrambling with the strap, but they're shaking so horribly that in combination with the fact that it's not supposed to be un-done and the wind, he's not managing anything at all* *frantically* D-don't give up, M-M-Maddox-san! The person running the ride... they'll it'll... *yeah, completely and utterly freaking out and just jerks about in his seat, attempting and failing to get it to swing closer to where Maddox is*

Maddox: *in a hoarse, quivering voice* M-Minori-san, I... I don't... want to die... not again... *swallows dryly, his white-knuckled grip on the chain only tightening* *draws in a quick, shuddering breath* B-But... I don't think... I don't have a choice... do I...?

Minori: Y-you... *frantic and honestly having no clue how to respond to that, tears appearing in his eyes, sprung at the idea of someone- even someone he doesn't know all that well- dying as well as the fact that he can't do anything about it* Just... just... hang on, okay? *yeah, jerking like all get out in his seat to try and do something, anything*

Maddox: *a bitter smile tugs at his lips* A-A little... late for that, M-Minori...-kun... *glances up again, straining to see when the chain meets the top of the structure, his heart stuttering when he sees it's nearly been pried loose* *mumbles something under his breath, what appears to be a name* I...I'm sorry... for being so pathetic...!

Minori: *yeah, just frantically trying to do something at this point, beyond reasoning*

Maddox: *sniffs* S-Sorry, Minori-kun... you probably don't like... watching someone die... Sorry.... sorry... *as the last chain snaps, gives a gut-wrenching scream as he plummets, which abruptly cuts off the moment he hits the ground*

Minori: *blanches completely at the sound, his struggling stilling as the shock of what just happened settles in* *shaking uncontrollably* ... ... M-M... M-Maddox... san...? *barely even words, to be honest* *just... yeah, in a state of shock now*

Me: *standing at the foot of the swings, grimacing up at Minori* ...I could have let that happen a little sooner, before he said all that stuff to make Minori feel even guiltier... *shrugs* Oh well, I'll remember that for next time. *slides a stylus from my jeans pocket and waves it in an arc in front of me* 'Kay, Maddy, just like last time, I'm bringing ya back...

Maddox: *lying groggily on the ground, presses a hand to his pounding temple, wincing at the force of the staccato beat infecting his poor brain* Ow...

Minori: *when the ride finally stops, almost crumbles after attempting to stand, he's shaking so much* *swallows numbly, doing his best not to look where Maddox fell because for all he knows, the guy's still dead and laying there* *carefully steadying himself on his feet, one hand on the swing, squeezing his eyes shut as the scene replays in his head unbidden*

Me: *trots up to Minori and slings an arm around his shoulders* Heeey, Minori-kun! How's it going?

Maddox: *just kinda laying there, taking it all in, breathing a short sigh when he realizes he was brought back for the second time, and he likes it even less than the first time*

Minori: *yeah, just... completely out of it, staring at you, biting his lip* ... h-how do you think... ? *mumbles, uncharacteristically sarcastic, seeing as it was the only thing that appeared in his mind as a response*

Me: *chuckles awkwardly, withdrawing my arm* Riiiight, the Maddox thing... Well! *chirps, dragging Minori by the arm away from the swings* Not to worry! That's the beauty of authors, ya know, we're kinda magic when it comes to our characters... See? *points to where Maddox is struggling to sit up, his arms somewhat noodle-like, as he's still in shock from the initial fall*

Minori: *blinks uncomprehendingly at the sight for a moment, it taking a second to sink in* *swallows thickly, staring at Maddox, attempting to line this up in his mind before giving a shaky laugh as people in shock very well might do, running a hand through his hair as he just stares* ... M-Maddox... san...? *hesitantly*

Maddox: *lifts his head at the sound of Minori's voice, a reflexive smile curling his lips* Minori-kun, you're alright!

Minori: *just blinks a few more times, another shocked laugh escaping him as he just drops his hand to his side* ... and so are you...

Maddox: *blinks, glancing down at himself* *he's absolutely covered in blood, most of it matted in his hair and coating the back of his jacket, but the wounds he suffered from are completely gone* ...Ah, yes, I suppose I am...

Minori: .... *just swallows thickly once more* ... *glances at you* ... do we really have to do another ride?

Me: *winces* Er... well, Maddox'll probably be okay the next ride, 'cause your author's taking care of that one, so... *rubs sheepishly at the back of my neck* Sorry?

Minori: ... *would probably have paled if he wasn't already pale from what they just went through* ... *eyes flicker to Maddox* .... there's that, at least. *offers one of his hesitant, pretty boy smiles*

Maddox: *grins out of reflex alone, happy to see Minori looking a little less despairing* *carefully picks himself up, shrugging out of his jacket and handing it off to me* *smiles* Minori-kun doesn't like blood, you said, so...

Me: *chuckles* Right, right, that'd just be unfair of me. Here, change of clothes. *waves the stylus again, and Maddox changes into a clean set of clothes, rather similar to what he'd been wearing before, minus the bulky jacket*

Minori: *relaxes, not having completely realized that despite the fact he hadn't been focused on it, the blood had had him even more on edge than he might have thought* *to you* Thanks... *sheepish smile, turning his gaze to Maddox, then to the amusement park as he runs a shaky hand through his hair once more in what's a rather calming, habitual gesture for him* ... I suppose we should get a move on, then.

Me: *grins, clapping Minori and Maddox on the shoulder* Right, well... good luck! *poofs out of existence*

Maddox: *his usual sweet smile* Let's go, then, Minori-kun. It's your turn to pick our ride.

Minori: *blinks a few times... hesitantly turning around as he considers this, uncertain of what to pick* ... let's look around a bit? *suggests uncertainty, as he's trying to decide what would work best at attempting to avoid his fears, as he's honestly not sure how they could be applied*

Maddox: *grins, rocking back on his heels, hands clasped at the small of his back* Fine by me! *frowns suddenly* Oh, but, Minori-kun... I think... it might be useless, trying to pick something that won't invoke your fear... We thought nothing would happen here, but... *shrugs, trying to muster a convincing smile* Don't worry about what you pick. We'll get through it somehow!

Minori: *just offers that pretty-boy smile of his as he starts forward with a dry tone as he speaks* That's true... knowing my author she'd make it worse if I purposely avoided something she considers fun, anyways... *muses, glancing around at their choices* ... *after a moment, his face thoughtful* Perhaps something like that? *gestures towards where he can see the go-karts*

Maddox: *bobs his head, a cute smile replacing his previous frown* Alright, then we'll go there. Come on, Minori-kun. *offers his hand a bit sheepishly, thinking the gesture to be a little cliche and somewhat embarrassing, especially when you factor in that he's completely convinced Minori is a guy*

Minori: Alright. *his typical smile* *takes Maddox's hand without any real concern, as while he has issues with things like hugs or whatever, holding someone's hand doesn't count in that category in his head, plus he's honestly rather... out of the girly mindset* *starts towards the go-karts* *adds as an after-thought* Have you ever done anything like this, Maddox-san? *realizes he honestly hasn't, but figures it can't be too difficult*

Maddox: *rubs a hand at the back of his neck, lowering his eyes to his boots* Well... not exactly. But I've been in a lot of situations that have scared me just as badly as this one. Ah, the first time I died, that was absolutely terrifying... Then there was the torture scenario... *shudders at the memory, swiping his free hand on his pant leg to rid his clammy palm of the accumulated sweat*

Minori: *blinks, having been referring to the go-karts, but responding to the subject none-the-less with a slight shudder, remembering that particular scenario well* That one was unpleasant... *agrees*

Maddox: *unconsciously squeezes Minori's hand* Well... Well, I'm sure nothing like that will happen again, not here anyway. The Sues aren't either of our biggest fears, so... *shrugs helplessly, not that great at reassuring people*

Minori: *uneasily reminded what exactly his own fears include, swallowing thickly at the thought* That's true... *offers his usual smile as they reach the go-karts* ... you want to pick first? *gestures towards their options of karts*

Maddox: *fiddles nervously with the hem of his shirt, eyes flicking between the various cars* ...T-That one's alright, I think... *hesitantly climbs into a blue car, fumbling to strap himself in, as he's never really dealt with this type of mechanism before*

Minori: *eyeing the straps on another kart, not getting in right away as he considers the mechanism* *thoughtfully spins to face Maddox and moves to fix his straps for him without a second thought* I think they go like this...

Maddox: *flushes* Ah, thank you, Minori-kun... *drops his hands into his lap, then just as quickly moves them to the steering wheel, his grip tight despite his twitchy fingers*

Minori: No problem. *simple smile as he returns to the car he picked and straps himself in* Well... let's try this out, shall we? *mutters to himself as he eyes the car once more before placing his hands on the wheel and experimentally taps one of the pedals, the car jerking forward and startling him* ... *laughs and presses it again, this time a bit less sudden and the car starts forward at a quick, although not the fastest it can go, pace*

Maddox: *not wanting to be left behind, presses his foot to the pedal experimentally, a yip of surprise escaping him when he suddenly accelerates; frantically turns the wheel to avoid ramming into Minori as he shoots past, being so shocked he hasn't thought to take his foot off the pedal yet*

Minori: *surprised when Maddox passes him, a smile growing a second later as he presses his foot down more fully to catch up, excitement coursing through his system as he's quickly discovered that he quite enjoys this ride*

Maddox: *fumbles with the steering wheel, his breath quickening when he nearly misses a turn, and although he knows he's likely not going to be touched during this ride he can't help but flash back to the last one, which only intensifies his anxiety* *glances over his shoulder on the straightaway, a bemused, wavering frown on his lips when he notices how much fun Minori seems to be having*

Minori: *having slightly forgotten about the danger present in the current circumstances, just speeds along, fumbling at the corners as he tries to get the handle on steering, then- once on the straightaway- eyeing the upcoming tunnel with curiosity, wondering if it'll continue straight or if they'll have to figure out how to turn in the dark* *cautiously raises one hand to gesture towards it when they draw close* Bet I can get to the other side first. *comments almost cheerfully, pitching his voice to be heard* *yeah, enjoying himself*

Maddox: *vehemently shakes his head, clutching at the wheel* I-I don't doubt it, Minori-kun! *anything but cheerful, but desperate not to ruin Minori's fun, as he's aware it probably won't last very long, knowing their authors* *swallows back a gasp as they race into the pitch-black tunnel, resisting the immense urge to just stop and get out, and possibly curl up on the ground until his stomach settles down*

Minori: *blinks as a second after their entrance into the black, everything suddenly shifts and he finds himself standing in the middle of a cobbled street, people hurrying this way and that* *prickles of unease cover him as he begins to pick up on a faint sense of familiarity and turns in a circle, his eyes alighting on the large, ordinate building visible in the distance* *yeah, no longer smiling*

Maddox: *blinks, more baffled than shocked at this point* *spins around, vaguely relieved to see that Minori's with him, but unable to ignore the dread running up and down his spine in intense shivers* M-Minori-kun...? What... Do you know what's going on?

Minori: *hesitantly, as he turns to face Maddox, rather hoping that he's wrong about the idea pricking the back of his mind that the building had caused to appear* *swallows thickly, shoving his usual, polite smile into place to hide his uneasiness* We might be... I'm not sure what happened, but this might be... *unsure of how to put it, as he's not sure if the place exists outside of his own universe, and actually speaking it would make it real* ... I might know where we are... *finishes lamely* It's... *just pushes the word out, determined to just get it over and done with, hoping that maybe he's wrong* It's an island called Aldlyn.

Maddox: *cocks his head, putting the pieces together (which is probably unusual for him) that this is somewhere from Minori's past, which he's only just realizing he knows nothing about* *opens his mouth to ask a question, then shuts it again, afraid of triggering something within Minori, as the boy looks positively sickly, as though he's seen a ghost* ...

Minori: *hesitates, his eyes flickering again to where he spotted the building, his hands forming light fists at his sides* *taking Maddox's silence as confirmation that the island doesn't exist in Maddox's word- or that at least the man has never heard of it* ... it's not a pleasant place. *adds on about as evenly as he can manage at the moment, his attention being drawn by the fact that not a single person is actually standing still on the street at the moment beyond them* *frowns further one of the before mentioned civilians pauses and stares at them for a moment, before breaking away from the stream of people and coming to where they're standing*

Person: I probably should just let idiots be... *announces bluntly, glancing over his shoulder at where the people he'd been with are waiting for him with a mixture of impatience and anxiousness on their faces* But... don't you two know the time? Attendance is mandatory, you know! The hunters will probably be checking the streets later. I wouldn't be caught dead just standing about. *that said, spins about, darting back to his people without another word*

Minori: *faintly realizing that a majority of the crowd is heading in the direction of the building he'd taken note of, and is even more unsettled than before* ...

Maddox: *blinks rapidly, his head already spinning* ...Hunters? Minori-kun, do you-- *cuts himself off, biting his tongue to keep from spouting off some unnecessarily rude question* *instead, sidles up to Minori, taking him by the arm and gently coaxing him towards the crowd* Um, Minori-kun, I don't... I don't want to do something that will upset you, but... I don't think we have much of a choice? *runs a shaky hand through his mop of gray hair* If we're meant to go this way, our authors will make sure it happens one way or another...

Minori: *takes a deep breath, casting uneasy looks in the direction of the building, rather certain now that he was right about where they are, given the mentioning of the hunters* *uneasily, his hands switch from fists to almost unconsciously messing with his clothing as if to further mask himself, the faint thought flickering through his mind that it's been years, he's completely different appearance wise, and there are going to be dozens of people at whatever is going on, he'll be fine, crosses his mind*I... I know. We should probably go. *manages to say after a moment, allowing himself to be guided towards the crowd by Maddox* *his thoughts start firing away after he admits to himself that they have to go along, aware that perhaps there are certain details he should share with him in order to keep from drawing attention to them* *forces the words out, as he honestly is shoving down bubbling panic the closer they grow to the building* The... the hunters have about as much authority on Aldlyn as you'd imagine the marines having on a typical island. *forces himself to scan the crowd for one, then lifts a hand to gesture towards a figure seen along the side of the path in the distance* They're easy to spot... the uniform is a white jacket with their crest on the back, and dark pants. *pauses, mind searching for any other information that might be useful, eyes flickering to the building once more* ... that's the palace. Aldlyn... Aldlyn is...a monarchy. They have a king. Hence the hunters, their full title is the King's Hunters. *yeah, at this point the information is keeping him from full out panicking, as all of it bubbles to his mind, details he hasn't considered for years*

Maddox: *nods, taking in everything Minori's pointing out to him* *curls his fingers into Minori's sleeve at the mention of the Hunters, as for some reason the idea that they hold a fair amount of authority scares him, despite his own position of authority back in his universe* *worries his bottom lip between his teeth, casting quick glances around at the crowd* ...W-What did they mean before, Minori-kun? *decides he might as well ask, since Minori seems alright to answer simple questions* Why... is everyone gathering?

Minori: *hesitates, his mind flickering through many of the options, dismissing the ones that seem unlikely given this is most likely their author's doing* ... I'm not quite sure... *admits after a quiet moment* The king... he.. *changes direction twice before settling on a way he can feel comfortable edging around the word 'died'* ... changed after I left the island. *more agitated than before, his fingers clenching into fists once more, eyes flicking to where he last saw the hunter he'd pointed out* Before, though... gatherings like this were for very few reasons. When the prince was officially presented to the country, sometimes for announcements of important engagements, announcements of... *pauses, his mind searching for a good way to word it, biting the inside of his cheek when he can't find one* when someone was declared... an enemy of the crown...but mainly... for... *swallows thickly, gaze flickering back to Maddox, then away again* ... well, it could be different now... there's no knowing... but mainly for executions. The king had a.... temper. *consciously resists the initial urge to echo the words by touching his cheek where make-up still hides the scar from the former king's ring* And a love for control. He liked showing what happened to ... enemies of the crown.

Maddox: *having witnessed a fair amount of executions in his time as a marine, he doesn't think too fondly of the previous king, as he'd always been a (timid) advocate of a more humane punishment* *draws closer to Minori, the color leached from his cheeks but a strangely firm look in his eyes, as he's come to see that someone has to keep themselves together during this situation, and since Minori's looking closer and closer to hysterics, he'll have to try his damnedest to have it be him* Alright, perhaps we should get a better look... *keeping a tight grip on Minori's arm, wriggles his way through the crowd* *over his shoulder, quietly* I know... this will probably end up being unpleasant... and I really don't wish to have to see it, or to have you see it, but... the sooner we encounter what our authors set up for us, the sooner we can end it, no?

Minori: R-right... *starts to agree, then instantly puts his heels to the ground as a thought crosses his mind, the idea of getting close to where they might be sending his face white* I-I can't, Maddox-san. *voice cracks as he shakes his head adamantly* We can't go up there! We can't. They- we can't. *yeah, dissolving into panic now, and as such unable to think of a way to explain rather than just blurting everything out- which he's not about to do*

Maddox: *frowns sympathetically, instantly stopping and turning to face Minori, reaching for his wrists* Minori-kun, you... you have to calm down. I know, um, I know I'm not really in a position to say this, but... losing your head will only make this worse. *grins sheepishly, giving his wrists an encouraging squeeze* If you really don't want to go, though, then... *spots a gap through the crowd and begins leading Minori out of it* Then I can go in your place! *nods determinedly despite the quaking he can feel infecting his knees* You just, um, you just stay out here and I'll... I'll figure something out! That's what a marine would do, so...

Minori: *calms slightly out of the crowd, but honestly shaking like a leaf* *not willing to go up, but also freaked by the idea of Maddox going up, even if there's no logical reason that Maddox can't, as no one would recognize him* *torn, his eyes wide, glancing between Maddox and where the front of the crowd would be, unable to stop his hand from reaching up and brushing his cheek this time* I... I can't just... *yeah, still panicking, but again, not the sort to allow someone to go on their own, as he's much more the self sacrificial sort, even when frightened half-to-death* I can't just let you... *faintly realizes at that moment that if something happens, Maddox would be safer away from him, the thought changing his refusal suddenly and he swallows thickly, dropping his hands to the side* ... yeah... y-you can....you're smart, I'm sure you can. *forced version of his usual smile*

Maddox: *beams, happy to think he's being of some help, and throws his arms around Minori in a quick, comforting hug just as they reach the edge of the crowd, before releasing him with another bright smile and turning to throw himself back into the fray*

Crowd: *the buzz of talk over what is going on begins to die away into quiet whispers, the name "Princess Kaiyo" continuing to come up over and over again, as well as words such as "king killer" and the before mentioned things* *the reason for the fall in conversation becomes rather obvious to anyone able to see the rather open stage in front of the crowd, as the walkway from the front of the building to the stage has brought the king into view, a man in his mid-twenties with a lighter shade of auburn hair than any of the other siblings, something that's almost bordering on red*

Minori: *still shaking like a leaf where he was left, swallowing thickly as he tries to figure out what to do and is honestly fighting the urge to run, as if Maddox wasn't there he would have already done so, he's not the sort to face his fears head on at all*

Ryuu: *standing in clear view on the stage, his eyes flickering over the crowd as the information they received flashes through his mind* *one hand clenching the hilt of his double-edged katana so tightly that his knuckles have turned white* *eyes pause when he spots Maddox's head in the crowd, recalling a piece of the intel as he drops his hand from his katana and glances over his shoulder as the others arrive at the stage* *simply* I'm going.

Masaru: *waves a hand dismissively as he prepares to address the crowd, his lips twisted up into what could be considered a smile with a rather sadistic, satisfied edge* Do as you wish.

Ryuu: *braces one hand against the edge of the stage as he drops himself down and merges with the crowd, although given his size and pure white uniform jacket, the merging doesn't do anything to disguise what exactly his role in the government is*

Masaru: *raises his hand, turning the buzz of conversation into practically nothing* I'm sure all of you have heard the rumors...

Minori: *goes about as white as possible at the sound of that voice, able to recognize it even after all of these years*

Maddox: *still stumbling through the crowd, pauses admist his shoving, head snapping up to give him view of the stage when Masaru begins speaking*

Ryuu: *as he cuts his way through the crowd, is carefully keeping his eyes on the gray head of hair he'd spotted from the stage* *easily ignoring his brother's voice, as he makes a habit of dismissing anything that "idiot king" says* *upon reaching Maddox, as people are rather careful to move out of their way if they see him coming, therefore it's rather easy for him to get through the crowd at a quick pace, lightly gripping Maddox's shoulder from behind* *calmly, with an even, almost smile that lacks any actual warmth behind it* I don't suppose you'd be the foreigner that's supposed to be here... *yeah, they may or may not have received a tip off from an anonymous *coughauthorcough* source that lead to the events going on at the moment and been given an exact description, to a point* Maddox, I believe?

Masaru: *speaking while Ryuu is doing all of that* I'm here to announce as you no doubt have guessed, the rumor is true. Our missing princess- Kaiyo- whom with the heaviest *despite the word, doesn't at all seem like the idea upsets him* heart I declared guilty of regicide all those years ago, has returned to us. *pauses as the crowd lights up with conversation, his lips twitching with satisfaction at the vast array of responses the words received*

Minori: *attempting to remember how to breathe at the moment as he's having difficulty with that matter**

Maddox: *jumps, clamping a hand over his mouth to silence the impending yelp* *startled to hear his name, timidly twists around to face Ryuu, eyes wide and watery, but his mouth set in a thin line of determination* T-That would be me, yes... *can kinda guess who told Ryuu about him and so doesn't focus his energy on that* Can I... um, can I help you with something... sir? I mean, I d-don't know why I'm here, exactly... *fiddling with the hem of his shirt, trying not to appear overly conspicuous or untrustworthy as his thoughts turn to Minori* *not really paying attention to the speech or the crowd, the whole of his fear and anxiety directed towards Ryuu*

Ryuu: *that same, almost cold smile shifts just slightly, faint amusement barely visible in response to Maddox's reaction* *simply* You can. *raises a hand, absently gesturing towards the stage* Honestly, there's two choices of how you can do so. First, you can accompany me up there, and we can handle things in the difficult- if not slightly amusing yet annoying- manner. Or, the choice that would most likely benefit you in the long run, you can simply do as I ask- which is for you to simply show me where you left your companion.

Masaru: *continuing with his speech, using flowery language to draw out the time until he's expecting Ryuu to return, riling up the crowd as he does*

Maddox: *while he's begun shaking - noticeably at the knees, to the point where it seems as though his legs might give out at any minute - shakes his head, taking a wary step back, towards the stage* I-I don't... *grimaces, thinking it's useless to lie if their authors have really given Ryuu information about them* I won't... give them up... So just... just do what you want with me, but leave Minori-kun alone! *immediately bites his lip, internally berating himself for his slip of the tongue, though he's thinking it might not matter, seeing as Ryuu already knew his name*

Ryuu: *allows his expression to show how fully amused he is by Maddox's reaction, as he actually finds when people are scared of him to be interesting rather than whatever most people might feel about the matter* I wonder, do you really not... no, I suppose that girl has always kept matters to herself. *muses* Well, either path you choose, will result in the same. The easier path simply kept from getting little.. what did you call her... Minori's big brother involved. *yes, is choosing to ignore that said "idiot king" is his older brother as well* *fingers grace the tip of his katana* If the hard way is what you wish, however... simply be aware that that sister of mine has a sacrificial streak.. I doubt she'll hide herself if she sees you in trouble... *trails off, figuring he'll give Maddox one more chance to choose the easy path, as he's well aware that drawing his brother in right off the bat will no doubt result in a public execution over a public trial, then decision of punishment*

Maddox: ... *just kinda repeatedly opening and closing his mouth, eyes darting around anxiously, trembling hands gripping his shirt* *on some level registers that Ryuu's speaking about Minori as if he's a girl, but is so engrossed in his fear and worry and whatnot that it doesn't seem very important to him, and is shoved to the back of his mind for later examination* I... *while Maddox is incredibly weak and doesn't have the same steely composure as Timor, or the same courage as like Raya or Katana, at his core he just wants to help people, and because he considers Minori a friend, even more so in this case; that being said, even though he's absolutely terrified because Ryuu is ridiculously intimidating to him, he forces himself to swallow down his initial cowardice* *curling his shaking hands into fists, looks up at Ryuu* I... I won't... I won't let Minori-kun be hurt here, I swear! *that said, suddenly rushes Ryuu, looking to shove past him and barrel into the crowd to escape*

Ryuu: *blinks a few times, then sighs as he releases his katana, musing whether or not to signal to the other hunters in the crowd to cut Maddox off* *changes his mind, wondering if following Maddox would actually accomplish his purpose as well* *comes to a decision and strides through the crowd, carefully keeping an eye trained on the back of Maddox's clothing, pursing his lips when he occasionally loses track of Maddox and despite the fact that it might be a little easier to catch up if he uses his devil's fruit to speed himself up (sorta like how fast the other logia users are when they like... yeah, like Smoker) but sees no need for it in this situation*

Masaru: *growing slightly frustrated that Ryuu hasn't reappeared with someone in hand yet* *continuing his flowery speech* So, with the memory of your king in mind, I ask if you see her- draw the attention of a hunter. *slow smirk* Of course, the opposite stands true as well. If you do see her and choose to stay silent, the hunters will be sure to search you out when this is over. As the stories say- they have eyes everywhere. Don't think they won't know.

Minori: *shaking like a leaf, his knees having given out at this point, is just sorta squatting near the edge of the crowd, wanting to run but not willing to do it while Maddox is still out there somewhere* *hands hooked over the back of his neck, trying to calm the bubbling panic attack as he draws in panicking breaths*

Aoi: *loses his grip on the door and plunges downwards, paling considerably when he doesn't hit the ground right away* *flails, attempting to catch a grip on anything around him as he panics*

Maddox: *his heart racing, chest heaving with every shallow breath he manages to draw in, darts through the crowd, picking out openings when he can and squeezing through bodies when he can't* *half-way through the large audience, realizes he's been unconsciously returning to where he'd left Minori and instantly veers off to the right, wanting to lead Ryuu away from Minori for as long as he can* *stumbles slightly, tripping over someone's shoe, but ignores the sting in his temple from banging into someone's elbow and continues moving through the packed bodies*

Ryuu: *eventually sighs, becoming rather frustrated with this chase and glancing up towards one of the balconies edging the courtyard that the strange stands in* *seeing as the crowd is too worked up by this point for a whistle to work, hopes he has her attention and signals for her to do something about this matter*

Lin: *had been leaning her crossed arms on the railing of the balcony, eyes having been easily following him considering how much Ryuu stands out* *blinks a few times when he admits the fact he needs help- or at least that's how she views it- and draws herself up onto the railing and scans the crowd with her eyes, catching sight of the one person going the opposite direction of where the crowd is all focused* *pulls herself up onto the railing and turns to run along it, launching herself down into the crowd when she's satisfied that she's managed to get on the other side* *not even attempting to be nice as she shoves her way through, planting herself in the middle of where she's decided that Maddox's path might take him, figuring that if she makes a mistake, there's still Ryuu following from behind* *stands out as much as him, considering she's wearing the typical jacket of the hunters*

Aoi: *lands with as a loud a yelp as when he fell, sputtering curses as for a moment he just crumples on himself, the pain from his landing radiating mostly from one leg, as it took the majority of the force of the landing and he's rather certain that there's something broken* *probably still as pale as a sheet and shaking more than he's done before, as that sort of thing really isn't his forte* *swallows thickly after a moment, settling into a chorus of curses as he forces himself to his feet, putting his weight on his good leg and gritting his teeth to keep from making any noise* *turns around in a circle to examine where he's ended up, eventually starting in a direction, biting the inside of his cheek to keep from making a noise at the pain that pulses through him with every time he even remotely touches the bad leg to the ground* *mentally cursing all authors to hell*

Maddox: *ducks under someone's outstretched arm, for once grateful for his small stature, as it allows him much more maneuverability in this densely-packed area than someone larger like Timor* *too focused on glancing over his shoulder to make sure Ryuu's not right on his tail, fails to notice Lin before it's too late and harshly smacks into her, flying back from the impact and landing on his rear, dazed, his head spinning, vision blurred at the edges a bit* *slowly shakes his head, pressing the heel of his hand to his temple, as he waits for the figure in front of him to swim into focus* *recognizing the jacket she's wearing as being the same one on Ryuu, tries to scramble to his feet, wanting to get as far away as he can*

Me: *silent for a moment, eventually sweat drops* ...He might actually try to kill me when he gets here... Maybe I should make myself scarce...

Lin: *raises a brow, rather unimpressed, as she simply moves to shove him back down with her foot and pin him there, foot against his chest* *regards him critically for a moment* I can't see how you're enough to make him have to use me... *muses*

Ryuu: *appears through the crowd in a second with a slight sigh when he catches sight of the situation Maddox is in* ... dramatic?

Lin: *rolls her eyes and pulls her foot away as she moves to drag Maddox up by his shirt* *counters* Effective.

Ryuu: *shrugs in response, focusing on Maddox* ... are you done running? *questions, as he's rather certain this showed how futile that is* Or does she have to carry you?

Lin: *frowns as if to question why she should have to be the one to do that*

Minori: *yeah, still having his little meltdown*

Maddox: *flushes, ducking his head, quite ashamed with how easily he was caught, unable to stop himself from thinking it would have been better for Timor to have been Minori's partner for this scenario* *swallows thickly, clenching his hands around the fabric of his shirt* ...Why do you... want Minori-kun? What did he... she... even do to you? I won't... I won't help you hurt Minori-kun....!

Lin: *comments in a simple manner as she releases Maddox's shirt before Ryuu can say anything* Isn't the reason obvious? Even a princess can't get away with regicide.

Ryuu: *sighs, latching onto Maddox's arm to start tugging him towards the stage, as he's fed up with this game, it's lost his interest at this point* Lin.

Lin: *rolls her eyes* Yes, yes, I'm aware. I'm supposed to allow you to speak. I'll be obidient some other day- alright?

Ryuu: *jaw locks*

Lin: *looks almost amused*

Maddox: *blinks* Minori-kun... a princess? *blanches* Regicide? *spluttering* Y-You can't... There must be a mistake, Minori-kun couldn't... he... she... she's not... *continues his spotty rambling, cheeks stained red, eyes flickering between Lin and Ryuu, pleading with them to understand*

Lin: *pointedly silent, something which just draws yet another sigh from Ryuu*

Ryuu: *simply* Really? How well do you know, my little sister, I wonder? For example, even that name is a lie. *that cold smile once more* Akahoshi Kaiyo, the first princess of Aldlyn. The murderer of the former king- her father. You may find that hard to believe, but it's the truth all the same. *says all of this as he drags him through the crowd, eyes flickering over them for any sight of Minori* *musing* Actually, if I remember from the stories while I was hunting her, she's even changed her hair color. So, even that's a lie... so a mistake? Hardly.

Maddox: *cuts himself off, taking what he's been told to heart* *falls into disconcerting silence, his thoughts thrown into a frenzy, emotions warring with one another, as on one hand he'd really like to believe that Minori is a good person that's incapable of such an atrocity, but he also can't help but feel that Ryuu wouldn't lie to him about this* *doesn't struggle any longer, just going along with Ryuu and Lin, head down and eyes downcast as he tries to reconcile the image he has of Minori with the new one he's just been given*

Ryuu: *makes it up to the front of the stage finally and without warning drops Maddox's arm to grab him without hesitation and throw him up on the stage before gripping the edge and pulling himself up*

Masaru: *pauses, breaking off in his stalling speech as his gaze flickers to Maddox, a gaze which is noticeably more excited than Ryuu's cold one* Is that him? *demands, forgetting about the crowd for a moment*

Ryuu: *simply nods*

Masaru: *leans forward to study Maddox, a grin on his lips* Well, lookie here. The bait's arrived.

Lin: *simply stays down with the crowd, aware her role in this is over*

Maddox: *averts his eyes from Masaru's, instantly disliking the man, shifting his focus instead to the crowd, which seems about as surprised to see him up there as he is to be there* *glances up at Ryuu, wide eyes begging for him to reconsider whatever he's planning to do in order to get Minori - yeah, he's not about to change Minori's name when that's how he's been calling her all this time*

Ryuu: ... *glances away silently*

Masaru: *raises his voice once more for the speech tone, to be heard* Kaiyo!

Crowd: *grows to a silent buzz*

Masaru: *repeats himself, a grin flickering across his lips* Kaiyo! *calls once more* I know you're there, somewhere. Now, I have a question to pose. Are you still a coward?

Minori: *stiffens, despite everything having picked up on the call, his head tilting away from his knees despite himself*

Masaru: See, as I've had a thought. If I can't execute you for killing our father... then why not someone else?

Minori: *blinks, unable to believe his ears*

Maddox: *goes rigid, whipping his head around to stare at Masaru, his heart skittering* Ah... *voice quivering* That's... I-I mean... *tears prick the corners of his eyes as it dawns on him that - no matter what Minori's done in the past, or how many secrets she's kept from him - he'd still rather be the one to die instead of seeing her executed* *stumbles to his feet, shuffling out in front of Masaru so that he can face the audience* Um... *rubs at his eyes, raising his voice to be heard, trying to ignore the fact that it cracks as he speaks, flushing as a result* M-Minori! D-Don't you dare come here, no matter what! If... If you do I'll... *clenches his hands into fists, drawing in a deep breath* If you do anything stupid, I'll hate you forever! *immediately ducks his head again, clutching at his heart, his breathing ragged* Please... please Minori-kun, don't...

Masaru: *blinkblink* ... *burst out laughing* Oh, that's just classic. You'll hate her.

Ryuu: *unamused, as he's aware that Masaru's words mean that he was right in doubting that Minori would be tried rather than simply punished* *eyes narrowed as his gaze flickers back from the crowd to his laughing brother* ...

Minori: *swallows thickly from where she is in the crowd, her hands clenched at her sides* .... *quietly, almost horsley, her own answer as she's not willing to draw attention to herself until she's collected her wits about her and managed to pull on her princess face, as hard as that would be to do right now* Hating someone forever.... it's better than not living to hate. *actually one of those rules she's lived her life by, to be honest* *takes a deep breath, trembling still as she straightens completely and pulls on an even expression that feels all too familiar on her face for comfort- as it's the one she wore when forced to attend such events as a child aware that her father would be irritated if she showed weakness, but also unwilling to pretend to be as happy as Masaru had always been* *inwardly melting down as if Maddox wasn't there and in trouble, she probably would have either ran or turned into a completely and utter mess, most likely the second by this point* *starts towards the front of the crowd, which stirs as she passes them, the air she's holding about her sort of hard not to notice*

Masaru: *stops laughing when the stirring crowd catches his attention* Oh?

Maddox: *with a despairing expression, tears streaming down his cheeks now, stumbles to the edge of the stage, hands gripping bunches of his pants* Minori-kun... Is it really going to be better if we both die?! *forcing the words past his tightening throat, so they sound even more desperate and pathetic than he'd thought they would* Y-You know I'm weak... Why couldn't you just let me play the hero for once?!

Minori: *falters slightly, her determination wavering facing Maddox's words* *helplessly stares at the stage for a moment, aware that no one in the crowd even dares step towards her and contributes it to the fact that rumors of what exactly happened those years ago probably got exaggerated beyond belief* .... *for a moment, is tempted to flee, thinking that perhaps she might be able to go get lost in the crowd, but discards the thought, her eyes determinedly flickering to the stage as she clenches her hands so tightly at her sides that anymore and her nails would probably cut into her palms* *raises her voice, knowing that if she speaks, it's the last straw, they'll know exactly where she is* I'd rather die than abandon a friend. *simply, almost stubbornly* *pauses, then her gaze flickers to Ryuu as she starts forward once more* Besides... you won't die. Not if my family is the same as it once was.

Ryuu: *stiffens, aware that she's referring to him, as it's not a unknown fact- his obsession with true justice rather than the kind his father and brother use*

Maddox: *just shakes his head, miserable that he's messed things up to the point where Minori is forced to confront her fears without wanting to, as he's become fairly certain after everything that's happened that she has no desire whatsoever to meet with her family again, whether she really killed the king or not* *softly, his voice cracking again* Minori-kun... do you think I want to watch you die, and live? *his knees finally give out and he sinks to the stage, sniffling* T-Timor-san should have been your partner, Minori-kun... nothing would have happened if he'd been here...

Minori: *swallows thickly, biting back the panic welling up in his frame, only obvious due to the slight shake coursing through him* I...

Masaru: *laughing once more* This is just wonderful, all this drama. It's perfect- we should have executions like this more often!

Lin: *in the crowd* *mutters* Idiot king. *might have picked up a bad habit from Ryuu*

Ryuu: *thinking along those lines, resisting the urge to send his brother a dirty look* *eyeing where Maddox is instead, calculations fluttering through his mind as he purses his lips* *judging how things would play out if he fell back on one of his counter plans, as this really isn't his style* *as Minori is searching for something to say in response, starts forward, ignoring the dirty look his brother sends him at the fact that Ryuu's movements pull him into the spotlight- as he really is the preferred brother by the crowd no matter their stances* *hands in his pockets, bends over and mutters under his breath to Maddox* Now, you see why I said to handle this the easy way? Honestly, self-sacrificial idiots are idiots to the end. *that said, flicks a gaze to Lin, turns on a heel, and starts towards the walkway that heads towards the entrance to the palace* I'm finished here.

Masaru: *face flushes angrily* But we're just getting to the good part! *whines* You're not allowed to leave yet, Ryuu, you idiot! *indignantly- with an air that nothing resembles the rather authoritative one that Ryuu holds at all times* *stamps his foot in a childish manner* Get the hell back here!

Lin: *while Masaru is having his hissy fit, shifts her way so that there's no one between her and the stage*

Maddox: *flinches when Ryuu approaches him, but twists around to stare after him as walks away, brows furrowed, trembling lips drawn in a curious frown* *rubs at his eyes again, swiping away his tears, edges away from Masaru, his initial dislike for him only growing as he rants and raves - and this is rare because Maddox is the type to see the best in people for the most part; for him to instantly not like someone is something alright*

Lin: *while Masaru is distracted, lunges towards the front of the stage to grab ahold of Maddox by his shirt once more and just drag him off the front* Hey, foreign idiot, get down here. *bluntly*

Ryuu: *disinterestedly* Why exactly is it nessacary that I be here, hm? All you're doing is killing someone.

Masaru: *sneers* Our father's killer!

Ryuu: *in the same tone* And? *pauses then adds on as they are in public after all* As much as the idea of letting such a person go pains me. *it doesn't at all* I don't believe in punishment without trial. Therefore, I'm finished here. Let me know when you're finished as well- I'll see to it that Miyu gets the chance to say goodbye. *not at all concerned as he's fairly certain he's trained Lin well and that she'll get the job done*

Minori: *staring, uncomprehendingly, as she caught sight of Lin pulling Maddox off the stage and honestly at this point is beyond being able to figure out exactly what's going on*

Maddox: *bites his tongue to stifle a squeak of surprise, but quickly nods, thinking he'd rather trust the unruly girl rather than the flippant king he'd just been facing* *goes without complaint, quickening his pace as best he can to match hers*

Lin: *once they're successfully hidden in the crowd, she pauses, eyeing the area critically before spotting where Minori is still being given a wide berth* *releases him abruptly and shoves him that direction, burying her hands in her pockets* *bluntly* Get your damn asses out of here and be happy Ryuu decided not to indulge the idiot king. He might change his mind- so I'd hurry. *turns on a heel and dives back into the crowd, as she's well aware that if she's not seen by the king when he finishes having his fit, then she very well could be blamed for their disappearance given the timing*

Minori: *yeah, just sort of shell-shocked by the sudden change of events and given how hard she'd had to push herself to be all self-sacrificial like that, she's just... lost at how to react*

Maddox: *looking frantically between Minori's shocked face and the rapidly disappearing back of Lin* *sucks in a sharp breath as realization hits him, then quickly takes hold of Minori's wrist, dragging her behind him as he makes a break for the edges of the crowd* *softly, over his shoulder* C'mon, Minori-kun... er, Minori-chan, we have to go! We won't get another chance like this!

Minori: *shakily allows herself to be pulled along, shaking her head in an attempt to pull herself to the present* *focuses on Maddox* ... *quietly, her voice no steadier than her entire shaking frame* I... it's '-kun'. Don't... outside of here... *her brain already switching back to the need to be hidden, even if she's still in a state of shock over this* ... please.

Maddox: *nods slowly, a bit reluctant just to take her word for it to be honest, as he still has some doubts about her overall that he just can't shake despite the stance he'd taken on the matter of their friendship* ...Alright. Minori-kun it is, then. *squeezes her wrist lightly* I hope... one day you won't-- *stops himself, shaking his head, and just continues running, wondering just where it is they're running to*

Minori: *even if she's still incredibly tense over everything that just happened, that lessens somewhat with Maddox's willingness to refer to her as a guy* ... thanks. *mumbles that, and within a second, just as suddenly as when the hallucination took up shape around them, the world flickers into black and the familiar feeling of the wheel of the go-kart is beneath her hands once again* *skids out when the tunnel ends within a second, scrambling to get the buckle/straps off of her, as she's completely sworn off this ride now*

Maddox: *once he's understood that he's back in the go-kart - or rather, he probably never left - he slams his foot down on the brakes, skidding out to the edge of the track, where he drops his head against the wheel, muttering under his breath, one hand settled over his thumping heart*

Minori: *as soon as she manages to get himself free- which takes long than it should given the state of her shaking body, scrambles from the go-kart and resumes the position she'd held in the crowd before the discovery of Maddox's capture, her hands over the back of her neck, head against her knees* *taking deep breaths, aware that the sooner she calms down from everything that had happened, the sooner that she can pretend that it wasn't nearly as panic-inducing as it was, and just go back to being the person she's built for herself*

Maddox: *when he's somewhat gotten ahold of himself, fumbles with the seatbelt, taking multiple attempts to undo it before he's able to climb out of the cart* *nearly crumples the moment he settles his weight on the asphalt, grabbing onto the cart to steady himself until the shaking's subsided* *seeing Minori in her state, begins awkwardly shuffling over to her, wary of his legs giving out again*

Minori: *somewhat picking up on the sound of Maddox's approach, drops her arms and cocks her head back to locate him with her eyes before offering a faint, wry smile* I don't really wanna finish the ride, if you don't mind. *in a quiet tone, as she's not willing to let her voice crack and betray her, as despite the state she's in, she does still have the smallest bit of pride and it's habit to try and hide how easily broken she is if she can* *pauses, then adds, not allowing her expression to change as she does* ... and sorry you had to through that. *that wry smile turning apologetic to match her words*

Maddox: *seeing no better way to express what he wants to say, just drops to his knees and throws his arms around Minori, pressing as closely to her as he can, too frazzled to acknowledge the fact that she's a girl, which would just make things awkward for him in the long-run*

Minori: *stiffens, unsure of quite how to take this as she just stares at him, uncomprehendingly as a result of the hug* *while she's used to such things happening around her usually, she'd expected the opposite now that he knows the public story, or at least part of it, of her past, sorta childishly holding the view that how she views herself is how everyone would, so she can't understand him hugging her after this* ... *forces herself to relax, settling on that she'll try and figure it out later, as at the moment she's being hugged and it'd be rude to question him about everything when she'd rather just let sleeping dogs lie*... *squirms one arm free and pats the top of his head in what she considers a comforting manner*

Maddox: *content to just stay there like this, buries his face in her shoulder, which doubles as an attempt to hide his exhausted, terrified tears, as now that they're seemingly out of danger all his tumultuous emotions have hit him all at once* *sniffs* Minori-kun... *reluctantly, his tongue thick in his mouth, making his words unsteady* We should find Aoi-san and Timor-san... *still has no desire to get up from this spot, afraid that this fragile moment of peace will shatter if they leave*

Minori: *hesitates, rather content herself just to stay there and take everything in* ... *eventually* After a moment... then we'll go. *just continues to pat Maddox's head, as somehow the idea that Maddox knows, while it's completely strange and unsettling to her, has also shifted his position in her head, especially given how similar he is with her "little" sister* They'll... they'll be fine for a few moments.

Maddox: *nods against her shoulder, his taut muscles finally relaxing as he sinks against Minori, unabashedly letting his tears fall now* *through a hiccupping sob* A-Alright... in a bit... we-we'll just... *can't finish his sentence, his throat too tight to allow the words to escape*

Minori: *just content to rest her hand on the to of Maddox's head until he's calmed, somehow the situation of comforting someone else having allowed her to collect herself and feeling much more in control than before* *that simple smile of hers gracing her lips, as while as it's hard for her to comprehend, she's realizing she hasn't lost a friend as a result of all of this, if anything it seems to be a stronger friendship somehow*